Red String of Fate
by cara04
Summary: Kagura can see people red string of fate. It was an inborn gift she had. But is it really a gift of a curse?
1. Chapter 1

_They say that God tied two people destined to be together by their pinkies with a red string. No one can see it that's why you won't know who your destined person is. You'll just know it once the two of you meet because you'll definitely fall in love once you meet him/her._

_But that's not the case for me because I can see it. I can see the red string of fate._

**The Past**

Two years ago a boy confessed to me.

"Hey china! You're stupid. You always do crazy things. Not to mention, you're also a glutton. But I think I like you"

**The Present**

I'm really lucky to be in the same class as the boy I like, to be able to eat with him during lunch, and to be able to go home together with him after school. After all, he's my...BEST FRIEND'S BOYFRIEND.

Yes. Okita Sougo, the boy of my dreams, is going out with my best friend Otae-chan. I know it's pathetic one-sidedly falling for your friend's guy. But I can't help it. It's not like I can control my emotions and choose the person to love.

"Kagura-chan!" Otae called me while I was busy daydreaming. "Is Sougo here already?" she asked. "No. Your good-for-nothing boyfriend is always late. Don't expect him to be here this early" I answered. Otae is in a different section from us so she visits us in our class every morning before class starts.

"Come on. Why are you always mean to him? He's nice although he does stupid things most of the time. Plus, he is really cool and handsome" said Otae obviously flaunting her boyfriend. "What's so cool about that guy? He's just a freaky sadist!" I shouted.

"Freaky sadist huh?" it was Sougo. "It's so early in the morning and you're already badmouthing me. Don't you have anything better else to do?" he added. "I was just saying the truth. You're early today. It must be a miracle." I replied. Sougo and I continued fighting.

This is my usual life. I'm satisfied with the way things are going. I have no plans of telling Otae my feelings for Sougo nor do I have plans of confessing to him because I can see it. I can see Sougo's red string,

and it's not connected to me.

**2 years ago**

_Everything was so ideal if only I did not have this gift._

Two years ago I rejected a boy. Not because I don't like him but because I was scared. I know I can't counter fate.


	2. Chapter 2

**2 years ago**

It was Valentine's Day. I decided to give _giri _chocolates to my friends and one _honmei _chocolate to the guy I like.

"What's that thing?" Sougo asked sarcastically after I handed him a pink box with letters imprinted on it saying "Valentine's Choco". "Are you stupid? Can't you see it's a chocolate?" I shouted. "And why are you giving me chocolates on Valentine's Day? Wait a minute. Don't tell me..." Sougo said and smiled menacingly. "No! Umm...it's a _giri_ choco not a _honmei_! Don't flatter yourself" I quickly said. I said it on a whim. I know he won't accept it if I said it's a _honmei_ chocolate. He'd be disgusted.

"A _GIRI_ huh? I won't accept it. Don't you know I hate sweets? Boys don't eat sweets." Sougo replied insensitively. "That's not true! Ginpachi-sensei eats a lot of sweets. If you don't want to eat it just accept it you idiot! Where's your manner?" I said but he just left without saying anything. It was the worst Valentine's of my life.

I will never give chocolates to anyone.

"Hey! Are you listening? Hey Kagura!" Otae shouted while I was in a state of trance. "You're daydreaming again. Did you hear what I said?" she added. "Sorry. What were you saying again?" I said. My thoughts wander all the time and I know this pisses Otae especially when she's telling me something.

"I was asking if you can go with me later after school. I want to shop for valentine's choco. I'm going to give Sougo a _honmei _choco." Otae said. "Huh? You're going to give him chocolates? No, no, no. You can't do that. That guy hates sweets. He might not accept it." I said. I remembered that valentine's two years ago. I don't want Otae to feel the same rejection I felt.

"Wait. How did you know Sougo hates sweets?" She asked. Oh no. I can't tell her what happened that Valentine's day two years ago. "Umm...I just heard it from someone. You know...rumors." I said. That afternoon, we didn't shop for chocolates. We went straight home. I wonder if Otae won't give Sougo chocolates anymore. The thought made me a bit happy.

**At the rooftop...**

The three of us were eating lunch together again. It's awkward eating together with a couple, especially when you got the hots for the girl's guy. I'm so out of place.

"Why is she eating with us again?" Sougo asked sternly while pointing his chopsticks at me.

"I thought you're okay with it. Plus, Kagura is my friend. I want you to get along well." Otae said.

"I know. But it's Valentine's Day. It's a time for couples. Can't we have some time together?" Sougo said while eating his omelette. He's obviously irritated with me being there. He obviously wanted me to get lost.

"For your information, I don't want to eat with you either. I'm just doing this for Otae." I told him.

"Okay, stop it you two. We're eating." Again, Otae stopped us. I glared at Sougo. He glared back.

"Oh right! Before I forget, happy Valentine's Day Sougo!" Otae said while smiling brightly. Then I was shocked when she gave him a box of chocolate. Yes. It was a red heart-shaped box oozing with chocolate scent. "Is this a _giri_ choco or a _honmei_ choco?" Sougo asked. Otae answered "Of course it's a _honmei"_. I was shocked when she gave him a chocolate but I was more shocked with Sougo's reaction.

He took the red box, opened it, and ate every bit of the chocolate. "Thanks! It was delicious. I love it." He replied after eating. "See kagura? He loves it. The rumors are not true" Otae said.

Why? I thought he hates sweets. Why would he accept her _honmei_ chocolate but reject mu _giri _chocolate? Why would he accept her love but not my friendship? I hate Valentine's Day. I will always hate it.

**After class...**

Otae was busy with her student council meeting. She told me to go home. She also told Sougo not to wait for her so he could go home early. No one was left but me in the classroom. I assumed Sougo went home already. As for me, i was not yet in the mood to go home. I was very disappointed and I don't know why. Then I stared at Sougo's desk. I moved closer and touched it. It was full of vandals. There was even a sketch of a dead guy named Hijikata on it. I sat on his chair. No one was around so I thought it was okay.

I almost fell asleep when I smelled a familiar scent, sweet and soft scent. It felt nostalgic. Then I heard a voice whispered in my ear. "Hey china. It's not good to sleep in someone else's desk. I quickly opened my eyes. Then, "aaaahh!" I screamed. I was very surprised to see Sougo so close to me. I shrugged him. "What are you doing here?" I immediately asked. "I should be the one asking you that. Why are you sleeping at my desk?" He answered my question with a question. "Umm. Ah-I didn't know this was yours. Anyway, you should go home. Otae still has her student council meeting." I said.

"I know. She told me earlier. So...Let's go?" Sougo replied while preparing to leave the room.

"Huh? Let's go? Go where?" I asked. Then he laughed obviously making fun of me.

"You're so stupid. Let's go home...

...together"

-to be continued-

*giri chocolate- obligatory chocolate, usually given by women to their friends and acquaintances.

*honmei chocolate- more expensive chocolates women give to their romantic partners.


	3. Chapter 3

_Was fate trying to tell me that I shouldn't go against it? _

As expected, Sougo and I went home together. I was very talkative while we were walking, maybe because I was preventing an awkward silence to exist between us. I was almost running out of topics in my head.

"I thought you hate it. Sweets I mean. Why did you accept her chocolates a while ago?" I suddenly blurted out. I can see Sougo surprised with my question.

"What are you talking about? She's my girlfriend. It's only natural for me to take it" he said.

The moment he said that, I was almost at my limit. That was why I said the thing that's been bothering me all those times. "Right. He's your girlfriend. Is that the reason why you didn't accept mine? Is it because you will only accept the chocolate given to you by the girl you love that's why you can't even accept a _giri_ from me?" Crap. I said it.

Sougo stared at me blankly. I hate that expressionless face the most. It's like it's mocking me for showing my weakness. Then he said "Your bus is here. Get on." The bus stopped right in front of us. I did not even notice that we were already at the bus stop. It was almost 6 o'clock. I need to go home quickly or my mother will get mad. So I hopped in the bus without saying anything to Sougo. I looked back at him from the window. The mood was so awkward for us. I just wanted to disappear after what I said to him but I know I can't let things between us stay the way they are. I need to do something.

This is my only chance. I need to talk to him. Without much thinking, I stepped out of the bus just before it started moving. The bus had two sets of doors, one near the driver's seat and another at the back. I got off the bus from the door at the far end, hoping I could see him and talk to him. But I can't find him anywhere. He wasn't there anymore. Where did he go?

I turned around and then I saw him. He was inside the bus as it was moving away. Looking at me surprised. I dropped on my knees. They were shaking.

I got off the bus. He got in. I wanted to see him. Does that mean he wanted to see me too? Did fate just played on us? Is it trying to tell me not to go against it?

-end of chapter 3-


	4. Chapter 4

FINAL CHAPTER

"_I love her"_

It was almost 9 o'clock and I still haven't gone home. I don't feel like going home. I wanted to see Sougo but at the same time I don't want to hurt Otae. Should I just cut the red string connecting them and tie mine to Sougo's pinkie instead? Crazy ideas were running through my head as I was sitting on the bench at the bus stop. I was sitting there for three hours while watching the people come and go. I was looking at their red strings tied in there pinkies. I realized most of them were not together with their destined person but they seemed happy.

I asked myself. Should I really follow what fate dictates to be happy?

I followed it. I rejected the person I like. But why am I still unhappy?

"Hey there little girl. It's already late. Why are you still not home?" A middle aged man approached me.

"I don't feel like going home yet. Anyway, I'm fine. Don't mind me." I shrugged.

"It's okay. Why don't we go somewhere? Come on, I'll treat you." He suddenly grabbed my arm and insisted that I go with him. He reeks of alcohol.

"No!" I said as I pushed him but he was so persistent. Then out of the blue I heard "Get your hands of her you perverted geezer!"

It was Sougo. He came to help me. The man immediately ran away.

"Are you okay?" Sougo asked me with a gentle face.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Isn't it obvious? Everyone is been worriedly looking for you. Your parents, Ginpachi-sensei, Otae..." Sougo said.

"She called and told me you haven't gone home. So she asked me to help search for you." Sougo added.

"So this was all for her? Right. What am I expecting? You wouldn't care about me!" I shouted. I wanted to see him but I just said those crazy words.

"Why are you like this? Ever since this afternoon you've been acting strange. What's your problem?" Sougo said, clearly puzzled by my behaviour.

"You know what my problem is? YOU! It's because I like you! I like you so much that it's hurting me." I shouted. I stared at his face for a moment. He was shocked. Then his expression changed from surprised to bitter.

"Why are you saying that now? If so, then why did you reject me in the first place? Why only now?" Sougo asked me repeatedly.

"I got scared...scared that we won't be happy...scared because I know we're not meant to be. But I regret that now! I regret letting you go. I want you back." Tears rolled down my cheeks as I said those words. I was pleading him. I know what I was doing was unfair to Otae but I can't suppress my feelings any longer. I stared at Sougo while he was obviously thinking of a reply. Then, he finally said it.

"If you said those two years ago, we could've been together already. If you said those when I have just started going out with Otae, I would've definitely chosen you. But it's too late. I can't do it now. Not because I hate you. Not because I don't want to hurt Otae. But because I love her." Sougo looked at me teary-eyed while he was saying those words.

I was too shocked to say anything. Then he started apologizing.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. Sorry but this is it. Sorry china. Thanks for loving me"

Finally, the tears he's been holding in rolled down his cheeks. I just cried.

This was how my first love ended.

EPILOGUE

It was already the middle of a new school year. Seven months have passed. The three of us ended up in the same class. I explained everything that happened between me and Sougo to Otae. At first she was confused but she understood it later on.

The three of us didn't do anymore the things we usually did like eating and going home together. I know that in order for me to forget about Sougo I need to distance myself. Seriously, I haven't gotten over him yet but I know that there will come a time when I can laugh together with them like nothing happened.

If there was one thing I learned from this experience it's not that you should just go with the flow of events. "If it's meant to be then it is" is not really true for all cases. If it's meant to be then it "might happen" if you wished for it to happen. Fight for that thing that makes you happy until the end, before it's too late because you can never turn back time.

"Hey everyone, you have a new classmate. He transferred to this school due to his father's job. Be nice to him" Ginpachi-sensei said. Apparently, he was still our teacher. As he was introducing the transfer student a scary yet handsome guy entered the room.

I was shocked.

"Hey Kagura, why are you so surprised? I know. He looks like a delinquent right? But he's hot!" Otae told me as I stared at the transfer student. But that was not the reason why I was shocked. It was because I saw our red string connected. It's him. It's definitely him.

I continued staring at him. He stared back. Then he introduced himself.

"Yo! I'm Shinsuke Takasugi"

THE END

Author's note: Thank you so much to those people who stayed with me until the end. Yeah the ending was kinda so don't kick me okay? LOL. I'll try my best to write another fic. I'm still thinking If I'm gonna make a sequel but I still hope that you'll still be there to read my stories. Thanks again!


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